Shaquan Johnson, seen in this January 2012 photo, has been charged with fatally stabbing a Texas man at a Franklin Township hotel in December 2011.Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger

FRANKLIN — Nearly two years since authorities say a Texas man was murdered at a Franklin Township hotel, his family is suing the companies that ran the hotel when the stabbing occurred.

The lawsuit alleges that the companies failed to provide adequate security and failed to protect both Chad Everette Robertson, who was killed, and Frederick Tijerina, who was assaulted during the incident, according to the lawsuit filed on Friday in Superior Court in Somerville.

In the Dec. 31, 2011 incident, Robertson was stabbed in the neck and Tijerina was stabbed in the abdomen, authorities said. Tijerina survived, but Robertson was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Shaquan Johnson, 22, of Roselle, has been charged with Robertson’s murder and Dyron White, 24, also of Roselle, has been charged with aggravated assault in the alleged attack on Tijerina. Both men are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 7.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Tijerina, Robertson’s wife, Melissa, and Robertson’s four children, whose ages are 2, 5, 5 and 7, the lawsuit states.

“It’s a horrible tragedy,” said their attorney, Alan Friedman. “The children are growing up without a dad and Melissa has to live without her husband.”

Named as defendants are Staybridge Suites and its parent company, InterContinental Hotels Group, as well as Somerset Summerfield, which Friedman said owned the hotel at the time of the incident.

The hotel, located on Davidson Avenue, had been a Staybridge Suites in December 2011, but it is now being operated as Sonesta ES Suites Somerset. In a statement, InterContinental Hotels Group confirmed that the hotel is “no longer part of the IHG system.”

“IHG holds the safety, comfort and well-being of guests and employees at IHG-branded hotels as our top priority and concern. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the guests,” according to the statement. “We cannot provide further comment due to ongoing litigation.”

At the time of incident, Robertson and Tijerina, both residents of Texas, were staying at the hotel while working as project managers for an environmental cleanup firm involved in a project in New Jersey, Friedman said.

The two men returned to the hotel and encountered an out-of-control party when they were attacked, Friedman said.